Through my interdisciplinary work in media production, visual & cultural studies, art & art history, and anthropology, I have formulated a number of innovative courses in both applied production and critical theory.
Additionally, I have specialized training and professional experience in documentary production, cinematography, editing, sound design/recording/editing, and producing. My areas of primary academic research include New Media & social media technology, visual & cultural studies, media production & theory, rhetoric & representation, horror/sci-fi/fantasy genre studies, visual anthropology, education theory, video game theory and history, documentary film, transnational & diasporic representation, “ecstatic truth” & the cinematic sublime, auteur film theory, and creative ethnography.
CRITICAL THEORY COURSES (Film Studies, Critical Studies, English, Art & Art History)
PROFOUNDLY FUNNY – SOCIO-POLITICAL COMMENTARY IN ADULT CARTOONS (ENG, FMS, ANT, AAH 100-400lvl)
Description: What do The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, and The Boondocks have in common? This new breed of adult-targeted episodic cartoon series addresses relevant, topical, and often controversial social and political themes and issues, providing a unique discursive format that is functionally and stylistically distinct from other types of programming. Comedy, as a narrative mode and genre conventional, speaks to a tradition of vicarious confrontation – a safe zone for expressing social concerns, questioning institutional order, and contesting societal norms. This course will consider the contemporary rise of adult oriented cartoons, in relation to the established history of episodic TV and feature film comedies.
AMATEUR AUTEUR – NEW MEDIA AUTHORSHIP (ENG, FMS, ANT, AAH 200-400lvl)
Description: With an unprecedented rise in the availability and efficiency of relatively affordable digital media technologies, amateur media production and exhibition has reached an all-time high. Reality TV, YouTube, Twitter, online blogs, and a variety of new media forums have revolutionized our personal and societal interactions with social media. This course explores the evolution of such technologies, and considers the corresponding socio-cultural impact of our increasing reliance and ever-evolving engagement with these new media artifacts and forums. We will consider various models of communication theory, and inquire as to how new media participates in systems of feedback and reification of institutional systems.
“ECSTATIC TRUTH” – THE CINEMA OF WERNER HERZOG (ENG, FMS, ANT, PHL, AAH 300-400lvl)
Description: This course explores the rich and extraordinary film of Werner Herzog from 1970 to the present. Central to the course is the question: What defines “documentary” as distinct from fiction? Herzog describes his work in connection with “ecstatic truth” – a deep underlying ‘truth’ of cinema, like in poetry, that is instantly felt by the audience. We will also discuss ethical issues central to his work, and to documentary filmmaking more generally. Among the films screened for the course will be: Land of Silence and Darkness, The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner, Lessons of Darkness, Incident at Loch Ness, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, and Grizzly Man, as well as documentaries about Herzog (most notably, Les Blank’s Burden of Dreams).
RHETORIC & REPRESENTATION (ENG, FMS, AAH 200-300lvl)
Description: Whether we are considering spoken poetry, written texts, documentary films, photojournalism, or any other variety of representational forms, it is important to recognize that each of these communicative exchanges implies an underlying framework of linguistic and semiotic structures. Central to representation and communication are reflexive acts of expression and reception. Through the communicative process of signification and meaning making, we rhetorically order the world in a way that (as Merlou-Ponty puts it) has and makes sense. This is not a passive process, but rather a strategic manipulation of written, oral, auditory, and visual information, in service of the narrativization of the represented. Aristotelian rhetoric is defined by an interplay between actuality (facts) and the “artistic form”, through which facts are narrativized in the service of the voice of the author. In this course, we will explore the role and function of rhetoric through various mediums and modes.
DOCUMENTARY THEORY (ENG, FMS, ANT 200-400lvl)
Description: Students will consider the nature and form of documentary film, including central themes of “reality”, “truth”, and “objectivity”. The course will also explore the origins and evolution of film, with a particular emphasis on the scientific motion studies of Marey and Muybridge and the socio-cultural contributions of such seminal filmmakers as Robert Flaherty (Nanook of the North, 1922) and Dziga Vertov (Man With a Movie Camera, 1929). We will also consider contemporary case studies, including films by Werner Herzog, Michael Moore, Davis Guggenheim, and Luciano Blotta.
POST-MODERN HORROR FILM (ENG, FMS, AAH 100-200lvl)
Description: This course will examine the rise of the post-modern horror film, beginning roughly with John Carpenter’s seminal film Halloween (1978) and ending with the Rob Zombie remake of Halloween (2005). The post-modern horror film marks a fetishism of viscerality and the body that is arguably unparalleled in earlier horror, as well as an escalation of socio and psychological realism. Accordingly, we will attempt to situate the post-modern horror film in dialogue with both previous genre traditions and the social and cultural specificity of the time. Films to be screened include: Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Hellraiser (1987), Candyman (1992), Scream (1996), Blair Witch Project (1999), Final Desination (2000), Wrong Turn (2003), Saw (2004), House of 1000 Corpses (2005), Behind the Mask – The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2007), Halloween (Rob Zombie remake) (2007)
AUTEUR FILM – CASE STUDY OF THREE AUTEURS (ENG, FMS, AAH 200-400lvl)
Description: The course will explore the tradition of auteur filmmaking, with an emphasis on how this particular artistic mode situates itself within the evolving system of Hollywood institutional film. Each section of this course will focus on three distinct filmmakers. The auteur, in contrast to other filmmakers, exhibits an unparalleled control over the production and post-production processes, such that the auteur film is uniquely identifiable to the auteur through notable conventions of aesthetics, style, theme, content, atmosphere, etc.. The choice of specific auteur case studies will vary, but may include such filmmakers as Alfred Hitchcock, Werner Herzog, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Rob Zombie, Quentin Tarantino, Dario Argento, John Ford, etc.
DIGITAL MEDIA (ENG, FMS, AAH 100-200lvl)
Description: Course examines the histories, presents, and futures of digital media, particularly video games, computer generated images (CGI), and the Internet (including convergences with the media of sound recording, radio, television, and film). One of the underlying concepts we will explore is the relationship between digital media and globalization. We will also investigate how communities are constructed and transformed by their participation in digital media. Some experience with media studies is helpful but not required.
SCREENING SEX – CINEMA OF THE BODY (ENG, FMS, AAH 300-400lvl)
Description: Sex has long been considered one of the great cinematic taboos. Yet, from the earliest photographic motion studies of Marey and Muybridge to the visceral “torture porn” of post-modern horror films, visual expressions of the eroticized body pervade the history of cinema. In this course, we consider the nature and meaning of these expressions of the codified and often expressly prohibited sexualized action of the human body. Readings will include critique by feminist theorists, including Catherine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin, and film theorists Bill Nichols, Michael Renov, and Vivian Sobchack. Particular emphasis will be placed on the social role of censorship and marginalization, as well as the artistic relationship between the indexicality of physical action and the affective capacity of representation.
INTRO TO THE ART OF FILM (ENG, FMS, AAH 100-200lvl)
Description: As an introduction to the art of film, this course will present the concepts of film form, film aesthetics, and film style, while remaining attentive to the various ways in which cinema also involves an interaction with audiences and larger social structures. Particular attention will be given to the capacity of film to translate physical motion into an encounter of affective movement for the audience.
INTRO TO SOCIAL MEDIA (ENG, FMS, ANT, AAH 100-300lvl)
Description: The course will explore the social aspects and uses of various media, including but not limited to film, photography, art, radio, and digital media. The goal is for students to begin to recognize visual/audio media artifacts as material representation and reflections of culture, which participate reflexively to produce and generate culture and cultural identity. Students will consider how these cultural artifacts circulate and navigate networks of power and meaning in society. As such, the course will incorporate an interdisciplinary focus, drawing on textual, rhetorical, and discursive analysis (English), cultural studies and media ethnography (Anthropology), and production and aesthetics study (Art & Art History).
SOUNDSCAPES –AUDIO & THE CINEMATIC NARRATIVE (ENG, FMS, ANT, AAH 200-400lvl)
Description: Despite a notable trend of visual fetishism, the “motion picture” experience is comprised dually of auditory and visual components. Though we are often unaware of the powerful strategic function of the cinematic soundscape, our experience of both atmosphere and narrative construction is heavily dependent upon the skillful use of sound design. This course pays due attention to the oft neglected art of sound in cinema. We will consider how selective decisions of score, soundtrack, hard and soft FX, ADR, Foley, and other sound design and production elements function to contribute to the overall narrative construction of the work. We will also explore the influential technical work of Tomlinson Holman (THX and 5.1 Surround Sound), and consider the practical and theoretical implications of his theory of “psychoacoustics”.
APPLIED PRODUCTION COURSES (Film and Media Production, Studio Art):
INTRODUCTION to DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
Description: This course offers an introduction to the practice and theory of documentary filmmaking. The course includes an overview of documentary production techniques, as well as a critical exploration of central themes of methodological ethics, philosophy, aesthetics, and theoretical frameworks for documentary. During the course semester, students will formulate, direct, and produce two 10min documentary films, and will screen and critically discuss a variety of documentary and fiction films. We will consider the distinctiveness of various “documentary” modes, including the similarities and differences between such cases as journalism and “reality” TV.
ADVANCED DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
Description: This course offers an in depth experience in advanced documentary production. Students will formulate an original documentary project idea, and will direct and produce a 15-30min completed film, which will be formally screened at the end of the semester. The primary goal of the course is to teach students how to identify and develop a compelling narrative. Particular attention will be focused on the strategic use of technique and technology, such that the filmmaker may maximize available production resources in order to best relate the story and content at hand. The course will also examine notions of “truth”, “reality”, “actuality”, and “objectivity” as they relate to documentary. As a prerequisite to this course, students must have taken INTRO to DOC FILM, INTRO to FILMMAKING, or otherwise exhibit a strong proficiency with both practice and theory of film, video, or new media production.
INTRODUCTORY FILMMAKING
Description: This course is a total hands-on immersion in the filmmaking process and a fundamental education in all components of filmmaking including producing, directing, cinematography, editing and sound. Students are introduced to the basic aesthetic and technical elements of video production, and will learn to use the video camera, video editing processes, and the fundamental procedures of planning film projects. Each student will create two 5 minute digital projects from conception to projection. Artistic techniques will be studied through screenings, group discussions, readings, practice sessions and presentations of original video projects made during the course.
ADVANCED METHODS IN SOUND, CINEMATOGRAPHY, AND EDITING
Description: As an advanced course in production methods, this class will prepare students for the more rigorous considerations of work in professional media. Building on the basic understanding of sound, image, and editing developed in introductory coursework, students will focus more intently on the controlled and strategic use of artistic techniques and equipment. We will explore visual representation theory, psychoacoustics and narrative sound design, and the use of editing as a storytelling mechanism. Students will team up to produce three 5min projects over the course of the semester, and will alternate their roles in each project, such that each student will serve in all three primary roles as cinematographer, sound recordist/designer/editor, and picture editor for one project during the semester. Not only will students gain valuable and realistic crew experience, but they will learn to anticipate and understand the concerns of other aspects of production.
VISUAL EXPRESSION AND THEORY
Description: Students will critically consider the nature of visual aesthetics in representation, including definition, analysis, and structure of the visual components that make film an expressive medium. We will explore the relative aesthetics of space and composition, including such elements as flat/deep/open space, contrast, hue, shape, and order. The course consists of theory and practical application, individual projects, and lecture/demonstration. Students will apply visual theory by producing both a photographic study and a short video project.
CINEMATIC THEMES – APPLIED CASE STUDIES IN VISUAL PRODUCTION
Description: From the high-key lighting of MGM classics to the moody noir of Hitchcock films, the strategic use of skillful cinematography informs both the atmosphere and the narrative of the work. During this course, students will explore aesthetic theory and participate in hands-on cinematography workshops. Each week, we will explore a distinct visual style and work to deconstruct the cinematic use of camera and lighting, such that the techniques may be applied strategically and consistently to achieve a similar visual effect. Readings will focus on the use of visual elements as story telling mechanisms, and select screenings will demonstrate the practical application of such techniques. Students will participate in individual and group projects intended to demonstrate proficiency with the use of both camera and lighting. Though outside of the direct responsibility of the cinematographer, the course will also emphasize the value of anticipating, planning, and controlling the production design of the film set.
